Christmas Spirits
Story Synopsis "Three is a powerful number Doctor, especially in the world of spirit...soon I will be free of this hellish limbo. And just as in any good game of chess, the pawns will be sacrificed as necessary..." Arthur Cottonwood is a Victorian Gentlemen like any other, and aided by his loyal employee Daniel Everett, strives to uphold a decent household and business. But Arthur Cottonwood hides a secret - he is plagued by voices from beyond the grave. And one spirit in particular, is determined not to rest in peace... Meanwhile the TARDIS arrives in Victorian London, and the Doctor, Nick and Rob set out to experience a Victorian Christmas after their recent battle against the Daleks and the Krotons. But soon the Doctor's curiosity is piqued by Cottonwood and his demons, little knowing that demons of his own are stirring in the ether... Who is the mysterious Spirit of Shadows that seeks an existence outside of Arthur Cottonwood's dreams? What is the secret from Arthur's past that threatens to surface with devastating consequences? And is the Doctor prepared for a battle against an enemy even he thought long dead? Plot The TARDIS arrives in Victorian London so the Doctor, Nick and Rob can experience a Victorian Christmas. The Doctor leaves Nick and Rob to explore while he investigates the mystery of Arthur Cottonwood, a Victorian Gentleman who collapses in the street. Meeting Cottonwood's Facto'um Daniel Everett, the Doctor discovers that he is haunted by three spirits. One transpires to be the ghost of Cottonwood's former friend and business partner Samuel, one is his former lover, Samuel's sister Amanda. It transpires that Amanda was accidentally killed and Samuel blamed Cottonwood for her death. The third spirit turns out to be the Doctor's old enemy, the Master, who is seeking a comeback from the Spirit world. The Doctor chases the Master through the streets of Victorian London, but cannot prevent him escaping... Continuity to be added Production Cast * Doctor Who : Paul Monk * Nick : David Tudor * Rob : Steven Alexander * Arthur Cottonwood : Andrew Clancy * Daniel Everett : Simon Hart * Spirit of Shadows : Jason Thompson * Spirit of Love : Emma Thompson * Spirit of Retribution/Mordecai : Si Hunt * Jenkins : Alex Finch * Mary : Kathy Riedtmann * Street Hawker : Phillip Madeley Crew * Directed by Si Hunt, Steve Alexander and Pip Madeley Trivia * Nick and Rob are mostly absent from this adventure - this was planned from the start, as writer Paul Clement had other characters he wished to use in the companion role. Consequently, all the material with Rob and Nick was recorded earlier in the year, at a different recording session, to release Tudor from the later session. * There is a continuity error late in the story: the Master mentions stealing the Doctors TARDIS, before audibly taking off in his own * The production on this story was hit by catastrophic recording problems, and most of the lines had to be re-recorded at a later date. A new recording session was swiftly set up to take care of some of these lines. Production Notes Links Available for download here See also ditto Category:Audio Productions Category: The Master Category: Christmas